Speed governing system



Oct. 28, 1969 w. l.. SHEPPARD SPEED GOVERNING SYSTEM' Original Filed May 13, 1960 United States Patent O 3,474,684 SPEED GOVERNING SYSTEM William L. Sheppard, 36655 Romulus Road, Romulus, Mich. 48174 Original application May 13, 1960, Ser. No. 370,393, now Patent No. 3,388,765, dated June 18, 1968. Divided and this application Apr. 15, 1968, Ser. No. 721,316 Int. Cl. F1611 57/00, 35/18, 35/06 U.S. Cl. 74-405 5 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Resilient indicator means support a pinion in mesh with a means controlling gear. Deformation of the indicator means causes the pinion and gear to become unmeshed so that the indicator may be adjusted without rotation of the gear.

This application is a division of my application Ser. No. 370,393, now Patent No. 3,388,765, tiled May 13, 1964, which was a continuation-in-part of my application Ser. No. 74,834, filed Dec. 9, 1960, now abandoned, and a divisional application and continuation-in-part of my application Ser. No. 74,833, tiled Dec. 9, 1964, now Patent 3,133,610 both of which were continuations-inpart of my application Ser. No. 632,541, filed Jan. 4, 1957, now abandoned.

Background and summary of the invention This invention relates to governing and the like systems.

An object of this invention is to improve the performance of governor systems.

Another object of this invention is to simplify and improve the accuracy of calibration of an adjusting mechanism including a torque drive train.

Another object of this invention is to improve fluid control valves and selectively latch such valves in various preselected positions.

The manner of accomplishing the foregoing objects, and other objects of the invention, will be perceived from the following detailed description of embodiments of the invention when read with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

The system of the invention is described in association with the speed governing system of my Patent 3,388,765, granted June 18, 1968. The disclosure of that patent is hereby incorporated 'by reference herein.

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a modied actuator;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of a portion of the actuator of FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 3 3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 4 4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary bottom view of a portion of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the apparatus of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of another portion of the apparatus of FIG. 5.

The modified actuator illustrated in FIGURES l through 7 is intended to be employed in substitution for the actuator mechanism disclosed, for example, in FIGURE 14 of Patent 3,388,765. In the majority of functions and connections, it is similar to that FIG- URE 14 unit. Since it has certain additional functions, there are additional connections.

The actuator includes a body 1400 which is adapted to be secured to the instrument panel or the like of the Cil 3,474,684 Patented Oct. 28, 1969 ICC vehicle and to support, in a position accessible to the operator, a speed adjusting wheel 1402 and a mode selector lever 1404. Wheel 1402 is rotatable about a vertical axis and is calibrated in miles per hour around a portion of its periphery so that the operator may select the controlled speed by rotating the wheel to position the indicia of the selected speed adjacent the index element 1406 (FIGURE 1).

Wheel 1402 is resiliently mounted for rotational motion with respect to the body 14 by means of a depending half-journal element 1408 (FIGURES 3 and 4) which accepts and cradles a projecting arbor portion 1410 of the wheel and extends approximately half of the way therearound. Arbor 1410 is resiliently retained in seated engagement with half journal 1408 by means of a spring clip 1412. A thin, line-toothed gear 1414 is iixed to the projecting end or arbor 1410 in the position to mesh with the peripheral teeth on a larger gear 1415 which is rotatably mounted on a stub shaft 1416 ixed to the body 1400. The end of a flexible adjusting shaft 48'8 is fixed in a bore at the end of the projecting shank portion 1418 of the gear 1415 and extends to and is integral with the adjusting shaft 488 at the governor illustrated in FIGURE 10 of the drawings. Gear 1415 is retained upon stub shaft 1416 by a bifurcated spring clip 1420 (FIGURES 2 and 3) secured to the body 1400. Rotation of wheel 1402 by the operator will produce corresponding rotation of the gear 1414 secured theret0, and hence rotation of gear 1415 and of shaft 488 to rotate shaft 488 (FIGURE 10) to adjust the governor as previously described.

Calibration, or recalibration, of the system to the vehicle entails the shifting of the relationship 'between the indicia on the wheel 1402 and the position of the shaft 488. In one practice, this shifting is accomplished by permitting slippage to exist at some point in the transmission train between the adjuster and the governor if greater than normal torques are developed, and calibration is accomplished by rotating the wheel to an extreme or limit position, in which an output element of the transmission train is effectively stopped, and then overrotating the wheel in order to produce an estimated amount of slippage so as to produce the estimated correction. The wheel is then rotated yback to the selected speed which is compared with the reading of the speedometer, and if the estimate was inexact, the process is repeated until the desired degree of calibration accuracy is obtained.

In the present arrangement, calibration may be accomplished at the selected setting of the wheel, that is, there is no need to rotate the wheel to a limit position in either direction. To calibrate the unit, the wheel is rotated to a selected speed, such as 40 miles an hour, and the automobile is placed under the control of the system. If the speedometer indicates a different velocity, such as 45 miles an hour, then the operator places his linger upon the top of the projecting portion of wheel 1402 and gently presses down. As a result, the axis of the wheel is tilted, about a horizontal axis, relative to the axis of the journal 1408 against the resilient restoring force exerted by the spring clip 1412. Gear 1414 is tilted away or upwardly (or upwardly and away, depending on the fulcrum point established by the clip and journal) from engagement with gear 1415. While maintaining the aforesaid downward pressure, the operator then rotates wheel 1402 to bring the correct speed indicia thereon into alignment with index 1406. He then releases the downward pressure on the projecting portion of wheel 1402 and permits the parts to restore to the illustrated position in which gear 1414 is reengaged with gear 1415 but in a new angular relationship which is correct for the road speed of the vehicle as indicated on the speedometer. Thus, the angular relationship between wheel 1402 and shaft 488 has been correctly shifted, simply and without trial and error.

It is desired that line teeth be provided on gears 1414 and 1415 to provide accurate correlation ofthe set speed with the indicated speed, such as one tooth per mile per hour, or iiner if desired. It will be observed that the same selective disengagement of gears 1414 and 1415 to permit relative rotation therebetween can be accomplished simply by grasping the projecting portion of wheel 1402 and pulling it toward the operator slightly, as an alternative to the tilting operation above described.

The mode selector lever 1404 is movable to one of three positions: an olf position, an on position, and an automatic position, as is illustrated in FIGURE 1. In the off position, the system is disabled to perform any useful function. In the on position, the system is converted to the previously described semi-automatic or speed warning mode of operation. In the automatic position, the system is converted to its fully automatic mode of operation.

As may best be seen in FIGURES 5-7, lever 1404 is resiliently supported for lateral movement with respect to the body 1400. A projecting yoke 1430 secured thereto clasps opposing edges of a disc-shaped extension 1432 on a circular valve plate 1434. Valve plate 1434 is rotatably supported upon shaft 1436 which is secured t a portion of body 1400 and is spring biased upwardly into sealing engagement with a plastic, circular valve seat 1438 (FIGURE 7) by means of a compression spring 1440 operating between the lower face of valve plate 1434 and a spring seat 1442 secured to the end of shaft 1436 by means of a snap ring 1444. A torsion spring 1446 operates between the stationary shaft 1436 and the rotatable valve plate in a direction to move the selector lever 1404 (FIGURE 1) to its ol position.

Near its outer periphery, valve plate 1434 is provided with a blind annular groove 1450 (FIGURES and 7) extending, in the illustrated arrangement, somewhat less than 90 along the plate. Two annularly spaced nipples or ports 498 and 672' (FIGURES 5 and 6) extend through a portion of the body member 1400 and through the valve seat 1438 at annularly spaced points alignable with the groove or cavity 1450, as may best be seen in FIGURE 5 of the drawings. Port or nipple 498 is connected by a hose 498 (FIGURE 10) to the output port 496 of the governor. Port or nipple 672' is connected by a hose to the nipple 672 (FIGURE 16) which is connected to the chamber 674 of the control valve. Thus, the actuator is capable of controlling whether or not a governor signal may be applied to the control valve. In the off position of selector lever 1404, as illustrated, port 672 is aligned with groove 1350, but the end 1452 of groove 1450 terminates short of port 49S so that no air can flow between ports 49S and 672'. When lever 1404 is moved to the right to the on position so as to rotate valve plate 1434 in a clockwise sense (as viewed from the bottom of the apparatus, in FIGURE 5), the end 1452 of the groove 1450 extends beyond port 498' so as to interconnect ports 498' and 672 and establish a signal Aconnection between the governor and control valve. This connection is preserved when lever 1404 is moved further to its automatic position. It will be observed that the ports 498 and 672' may -be spaced as selected, with the groove 1450 being positioned and selected in length such that communication between the two ports will not exist when the lever 1404 is olf and will exist in each of the other two positions of that lever.

At another point along the periphery of the valve plate 1434, an elongated aperture 1454 (FIGURE 5) is formed through that plate. In alignment with that arcuate aperture is a nipple or port 600 which is connected by a hose 600 (FIGURE 16) to the T 710 which in turn is connected both to the valve body illustrated in FIGURE 16 and to the lockup servo illustrated in FIGURE 20. It will be recalled from the previous description of the system that the apparatus cannot operate automatically as long as tube 600 (FIGURE 16) is connected to atmosphere either through an actuator or through a brake pedal controlled valve or through any other valve associated with any other elements of the automobile the proper position or operation of which is desired to be established as a condition precedent to the effective placing of the system in its automatic mode of operation. The actuator illustrated in FIGURE 5 operates on a similar basis. In the off position of lever 1404, port 600' is aligned with arcuate aperture 1454 so that air may ilow from atmosphere into port 600 and thence to the remainder of the system. When the lever 1404 is moved to the on position, a portion of aperture 1454 remains in alignment with port 600 so that the system remains disabled to enter its automatic mode of operation. However, when lever 1404 is moved to its automatic position, aperture 1454 is moved beyond (clockwise in FIGURE 5) and blocks port 600', and the lookup servo will be evacuated to place the system in automatic operation, as previously described.

With the actuator of FIGURE i4 previously described, the system was placed in automatic operation by depressing knob 594. That knob was spring biased outwardly, but, in proper automatic operation, was retained in the automatic-operation position by means of a detent 580 actuated by a bimetal 582 which in turn was controlled by an electrical circuit including heater 584. Certain conditions under which the electrical circuit was energized and deenergized were discussed in connection with that actuator, The actuator illustrated in FIGURES 1 through 7 includes an electrically energized and controlled electromagnet 1460 having a winding terminating in leads 1462 and 1464. These leads may be connected in an electrical circuit such as that previously described in connection with FIGURE 14. Electromagnet 1460 is an element of a means of selectively retaining the valve plate 1434 in the on or the automatic position despite the continuing existence of the torsional force exerted by spring 1446 tending to drive that valve plate to the off position.

The coil of electromagnel 1460 is wound around a core 1466 headed by a convex detent portion 1468 from which a shank 1470 extends, terminating in a head 1472. An arm 1474, of magnetic material, is provided near one end with a slot 1476 of suflicient width to accept the shank 1470. The other end of arm 1474 is pivotably secured by a loose rivet 1478 to a point on the periphery of valve plate 1434. Accordingly, as valve plate 1434 is rotated by lever 1404, arm 1474 is moved in translation relative to electromagnet 1460, with the walls of the slot 1464 moving along and in engagement with the shank 1470. At a point corresponding to the on rotational position of valve plate 1434, a concave recess 1480 is formed adjacent the slot 1476 (FIGURES 5 and 6) and at a point corresponding to the automatic rotational position of valve plate 1434, a corresponding concave recess 1482 is formed, and a corresponding recess 1483 is provided at tne oli position. These recesses conform generally to the shape of the convex detent 1468.

When electromagnet 1460 is deenergized, arm 1474 rests with its lower surface in engagement with head 1472 (FIGURE 6). As a result, arm 1474 may readily move relative to electromagnet 1460 over the limit of the length of the slot 1476 and will not prevent torsion spring 1446 from returning lever 1404 and valve plate 1434 to their oit position when released by the operator. However, if electromagnet 1460 is energized, tlux is induced in a path including core 1466 and a return pole piece 1486 which attracts arm 1474 as an armature and brings the upper surface thereof into engagement with detent 1468 and into engagement or substantial engagement with return pole piece 1486. At the off position of the valve plate 1434, detent 1458 is aligned with recess 1483. When the switch 1404 is moved to the on position, recess 1480 becomes aligned with detent 1468 and arm 1474 is moved slightly upwardly to bring those elements into engagement so as to effectively secure the arm 1474 against longitudinal movement in response to the torsional forces exerted by spring 1446. Consequently, valve plate 1434 will remain in its on position even though the operator ceases to hold lever 1404. Correspondingly, if the operator thereafter moves the lever 1404 further to the automatic position, which he can do by overpowering the electromagnetspring combination, giving the feel of detent action, detent 1468 seats in recess 1482 to correspondingly hold the apparatus in the automatic position until such time as the operator returns lever 1404 or electromagnet 1460 is deenergized.

it will further be appreciated that a number of the principles of the present invention are applicable to other types of fiuid pressure responsive and controlling apparatus, including hydraulic apparatus.

While it will be apparent that the embodiments of the invention herein disclosed are well calculated to fuliill the objects of the invention, it will be appreciated that the invention is susceptible to modification, variation and change without departing from the proper scope or fair meaning of the subjoined claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a system for adjusting a device which is adjustable by shifting the angular position of a control shaft associated therewith, the combination of a support member, a manually rotatable adjusting member, a gear secured to said adjusting member and rotatable therewith, a second gear mutable with said first gear and supported by and rotatable about a fixed axis with respect to said support member, means for drivingly connecting said second gear to the control shaft for rotating the control shaft in response to the rotation of said second gear resulting from the rotation of said rst gear produced by the manual rotation of said adjusting member, and means for supporting said adjusting member for rotational movement with respect to said support member and for resiliently permitting additional movement of said adjusting member relative to said support member to shift said lirst gear from engagement with said second gear for permitting selective manual shifting of the angular relationship between said adjusting member of the shaft for Calibrating the adjusting means.

2. The combination of claim 1 in which said adjusting member isV rotatable about an axis and in which said additional movement is rotational movement about a difterent axis.

3. The combination of claim 1 in which said additional movement is in translation.

4. The combination of claim 1 in which said adjusting member is rotatable about an axis and in which said means for resiliently permitting movement of said adjusting member permits said rotational axis to be moved in a direction to separate said rst gear from said second gear.

5. The combination of claim 4 in which said adjusting member has an arbor portion, and in which said supporting means comprises a partial journal xed with respect to said support member and engaging a portion of said arbor and a spring clip resiliently holding said arbor in bearing engagement with said partial journal.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,495,689 l/l950 Bracke et al. 74405 2,831,362 4/1958 Truesdell 74-405 2,914,907 12/1959 Morrison 74-405 X 2,973,659 3/1961 Gallagher et al. 74-405 3,148,345 9/1964 Moran 74-405 X LEONARD H. GERlN, Primary Examiner 

